The 100-odd firefighters who battled a major blaze at the Brahmapuram dumping yard on February 18 faced five crucial challenges while trying to douse the flames, according to a report released by the Department of Fire and Rescue Services.
The waste dump spread over 30 acres lacked adequate road access for free movement of fire tenders.
Shortage of water
Firefighting was hit by shortage of uninterrupted water supply. The solid waste treatment plant lacks permanent firefighting equipment. Moreover, tools for turning waste heaps to contain fire were not available.
The construction of walls hampered drawing of water from the nearby Kadambrayar, said the report, which was submitted to the District Collector.
The report came up with six recommendations for immediate implementation, including construction of eight-metre wide roads around the plant and seven-metre-wide ones within the plant. It suggested that legacy waste be divided into heaps of 1,000 square metres each, besides ensuring adequate number of roads on four sides.
A ring main should be set up for effective distribution of water in an emergency, while yard hydrants should be installed in every 45 metres. Ring main refers to a primary loop that is connected to the pumps so that there are two routes for water to flow in case one side gets blocked.
Fire pumps
Fire pumps with 2,850 LPM (flow rate of water in litres per minute) should be set up, with the farthest pump having a 3.5 bar (energy with which the water will hit the surface).
A static tank that can provide water for four hours uninterrupted has to be set up at the site.
An open water source has to be developed near the main gate of the plant.
Corporation employees have to be posted for security, and regular police patrolling should be ensured, according to the report.
The massive operation at Brahmapuram began at 2.34 p.m. on February 18 and ended at 9 a.m. on February 20.
The operation was led by K.K. Shiju, Regional Officer, Fire and Rescue Services, Ernakulam, and A.S. Gogy, District Fire Officer.
As many as 15 fire tenders and high-power equipment from stations at Kottayam and Alappuzha were pressed into service.
Forty cleaning staffers under the Kochi Corporation aided the operation. By 4 p.m. on February 19, several firemen fainted after experiencing dehydration and breathlessness caused by the thick smoke billowing out of waste heaps.
